Grain-cart



(ModeL) 2 8heets-=-Sheet i.'

T. T. PROSSER. Grain Cart.

No 231,092. Patented Aug.10,1880.

W mam 122017722? NFETEnm PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

(Modem 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. T. PROSSER.

Grain Cart.

Patented Aug. 10,1880

77 2265mm. f

"- PETERS. PNOTO-LITNDGRAPNER. WASHINGTDN. D C.

UNITED STATES ATENT rrrcn.

TREAT T. PROSSER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GRAIN-CART.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 231,092, dated August 10, 1880.

Application filed May 1. 1880. Model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TREAT l PROSSER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Carts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement on the grain-cart for which Letters Patent No. 224,7 25 were granted February 17, 1880.

The object of the improvement was to make the grain'eart described in said Letters Patent more manageable; to facilitate its getting out of ruts and bad placeswithout danger of upsetting; to lower the tongue to a more convenient level for the draft-animals, and to increase the ease and capacity of turning corners.

To these ends the invention consists, mainly, in combining a swiveling truck with the said grain-cart, which swiveling truck is attached to the frame of the graiircart so as to run in advance of it, and carries the tongue to which the draft-animals are hitched.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have illustrated in the annexed drawings and will proceed to describe the best form thereof at present known to me, with the understanding that the details of construction may be considerably varied, and also that some parts of the invention may be used without the other parts thereof.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved twin-cylinder graincart. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on the line as a, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the swiveling truck on the line y y, Fig. 1.

The same letters of reference are used in all the figures in the designation of identical parts.

A A refer to the rolling cylinders, in which the load of grain is carried, and which are capable of independent rotation on the axle B. These rolling cylinders are mounted on the draft-frame O, encircling them, and provided with the centrally-arranged longitudinal beam 0. All these parts are constructed and connected together substantially as described in the aforesaid Letters Patent, with the exception that the beam C is not a part of or directly connected to the tongue of the cart. Its iorwardly-projecting end is, on the contrary, swivelingly connected with the boxframe D of the truck I, composed of an axle, i, and a pair of wheels, 1" i, mounted to turn loosely on the journal ends of the axle i.

The box-frame D is composed of a ring or disk, (I, and an inverted cup-shaped box, (1. The ring (I is on its under side constructed with recesses fitting the square part of the axle i, so that it may interlock with said axle and take a firm hold of the same.

The cap-plate of the box d has a central aperture for the reception of the king-bolt E, which connects the box with the 'irojecting end of the beam 0. This projecting end of the beam 0 is clamped between a cap, F. on its under side and a plate, F, on its upper side. The king-bolt is passed up through the aperture in the cap-plate of box d and through the cap, beam, and plate, its upper end being screwthreaded to receive a nut, e, or other means for securing it.

The king-boltis provided with a head at its lower end to retain the box-frame, and a little higher up with a shoulder to abut against the lower side of the cap F, so that said cap and the beam and the plate may be tightly clamped together. The kin g-bolt has considerable play in the cap-plate of the box (1, and the adjacent faces of the cap F and the box d are somewhat rounded, so that the truck may both turn horizontally and wobble to some extent on the kin g-bolt, there being also some little play provided for between the top of the box d and the cap F to admit of this wabblin g action. It will be observed that the king-bolt, cap F, and box (1 constitute a kind of fifth-wheel.

The projecting end of the beam 0 is fitted in a seat formed in the top of the cap F, and in order to relieve the king-bolt of canting strain I prefer to construct the seat in the cap with transverse ridges, which force themselves into the wooden beam 0' in clamping the cap to the beam.

The tongue G is titted in sockets d cl in the flanged lower end of the box of, the lowerside of the tongue being confined by the ring (I. The rear end of the tongue projects through the rear socket, (Z and the tongue is secured to the truck by means of a plate-spring, H, theforward end of which is bolted to thetongue in front of the box-frame, while its rear end is bolted to the tongue in rear of the box-frame. The center of the spring H is supported on a bolt, h, protruding downward through a hole in the axle and the ring seated thereon,the lower end of the bolt being provided with a nut to hold the spring in place upon it. The socket (I may exceed in height the thickness of the tongue some little. Thus attached, the tongue can yield to some extent both in a longitudinal and in a vertical direction. The spring plays in grooves or ways formed in the lower side of the ring (I, and is guided and supported thereby in that way.

The box-frame may be securely clipped to the axle 27 or bolted thereto, as shown in the drawings.

I have found that it is advisable to provide the tires of the truck-wheels with grooves, as in turning corners, especially upon a grade, the sharp edges will take hold on the ground and render said truck-wheels less liable to slip or slide sidewise.

Another advantage to be gained by this construction is that in traveling oyer wet ground the broad notched tires are less liable to sink deeply into the mud than a smooth tire, because the tendency of the notched tire is to pack the mud under it, whereas a smooth tire exerts a wedging action, pushes the mud aside, and sinks into it.

VVhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the grain-cart composed of rolling twin-cylinders and the swiveling truck in front thereof.

2. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the draft-frame of the twin-cylinder grain-cart, the cap secured to the projectin g end of the center beam of said draft frame, the box-frame of the truck, and the king-bolt.

3. The combination, substai'itially as before set forth, of the truck, the tongue, and the spring for securing the tongue to the truck.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

TREAT l. PROSSER.

Witnesses L. J. PROSSER, WM. HANSBROUGH. 

